Sunday, 31 August 2014

Time to post some new bands again who follow the ethos of keeping them old-time funk and soul sounds alive... its New Funk Volume 17.

Todays mix is topped and tailed with corking 2 tracks from a new album out this week by The Coolin' System (on GED records), there's a trio of Japanese funk bands featured with Zainichi Funk, Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro and Osaka Monaurail, we've a Chilli Peppers cover from the Heavy Tones and there's Daptone records Binky Griptite and more!!

Back in a week with rare grooves and more... Mr S up soon and check out any mixes you've missed on Mixcloud (still taking requests for re-ups of old posts!).

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

This weeks mix spotlight's some of the white artists that have made a name in Black music of all varieties.

From UK bands such as Level 42 and Jamiroquai, to Singer/Songwriters like Lewis Taylor, Bobby Caldwell, Valerie Carter and Kiki Dee, to big name acts like Amy Winehouse. Musical styles aplenty, all soulful, proving Soul music has no race barriers.

Hope you enjoy this mix, and don't forget to check both myself and Grizz on Mixcloud, Twitter, Facebook, Google + etc etc etc!

Monday, 25 August 2014

Just a quick post this rainy UK bank holiday to say that both Grizz and I are now on Mixcloud.

Grizz is already putting together a library if some of his older, deleted mixes up on his Mixcloud profile, so follow him and check them all out! All his future mixes will be there too, so really worth following to keep up to date.

Stick a request for a mix your looking for from him, I'm sure he will put it up. He's like that!

Of course, I'm still there, thanks to all the current followers for following and if you haven't already, feel free. In fact press the follow button on both our buttons below in one quick easy hit!

Don't forget to stay in touch on the blog, were always here to supply the good music!

Saturday, 23 August 2014

Morning Mixtapers and we are up to no. 76 in the series of Rare Grooves and Soul from the vaults on the blog... yes its Soul Niceness 76.

The tracks from the dusty shelves today include a Breakwater classic, an Average White Band and Ben E King hook up, an O Jays LP nugget from 1968, anthems from 'Niecey' and Stephanie Mills, and some 2 step goodness from Positive Force.

Just to let you know I'm switching to Mixcloud to post my mixes from now so they get a longer shelf life (i.e. you can look further back) and lessens the chance of them being taken down. If you have any requests for old mixes from the last 5 years to be re-upped on Mixcloud drop us a line and will oblige.

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

It was, in my opinion, the year that signified the start of the end for New Jack Swing. Cover Star D'Angelo released the seminal "Brown Sugar" LP, whilst Hip Hop - Soul made its way onto the scene via Uptown Records. Mary J Blige stepped up. Faith Evans. When they coined the term "Neo-Soul", I believe they actually meant a return to the ethos that Soul music had back from the 70's. Live, Organic Instruments; Social Commentary; Soulful voices and songwriting.

This mix showcases the changing face of Soul and R&B that year, 1995, and features D'Angelo, Faith Evans, Mary J Blige, plus some of the classics of the year from Deborah Cox; Solo; Groove Theory and some little known gems including Vertical Hold who was a band who had a vocalist, who went on to bigger things, named Angie Stone.

Hope this takes you back, Grizz returns on Sunday with some more hot music from the Vaults!!!

Sunday, 17 August 2014

Time for an artist mix and what an artist- the late great Gil Scott Heron. A song writer, singer, poet, activist and more, this somewhat troubled soul brought us some of the best soul-jazz with a message you could get until his battles caught up with him at age 62.

We start with a jazz funk dancer in Race Track in France, there's his funky tribute to Billie Holiday and John Coltrane, a live take on the anthem The Bottle, there's a collaboration with Brian Jackson on Show Bizness from the Secrets LP, and we finish off with 2 wind down tracks in A Lovely Day and the sublime Your Daddy Loves You from the seminal Winter in America LP plus more 3 Heron classics.

Mr S up soon and will catch you in a week with more soul n grooves from the rare side!

Wednesday, 13 August 2014

We've hit the 130 mark on these Upfront mixes and there's no sign of slowing down.

This edition sees some great Soul music from the likes of Eric Roberson whose new LP "The Box" is out now and the track featured features last edition's cover stars KING; Martin Luther enlists Questlove for the great Soul track "Finally"; Ab channels Prince on "A Quarter past Morning"; BB Rose and Leela James bring that Neo Soul feel whilst Future Soul Beats and Sounds are provided by the likes of Kaytranada, Electric Wire Hustle and Shafiq Husayn. RnB comes in the shape of tunes from Reva Devito, Tinashe and B.Slade.

Catch up with all the latest music worth listening to in one easy hit right here on The Soul Mixtape.

Grizz returns at the weekend, and ill be back with some Old School next week.

Sunday, 10 August 2014

Thunder and lightening are the order of the day in London today so lets kick up an old time Rare Groove and Soul storm with Soul Niceness 75.

We kick off with Dutch funkers The Limit from '82, theres some Brazilian soul/funk from Tim Maia, Ashford & Simpson and Oliver Cheatham lay down some 80's club classics, includes Motown legend Jimmy Ruffin who brings the soul, and Booker Newberry's original band Sweet Thunder finish the mix -lovely... and more to boot!

Wednesday, 6 August 2014

Welcome back to our Monthly White Label Mix where we don't give you a track-list and ask you to trust us and press
play. Soulful music from the 70's to the present day, from Rare Groove
to Hip Hop to RnB and so on. Some well known, some undiscovered,
some unreleased.

This month we have a smattering of 90's RnB, some Hip Hop, a couple of boogie tunes and a smidge of Neo Soul.

Press Play and take a journey into the unknown till Grizz returns with some classic nuggets.

Sunday, 3 August 2014

Time for some Sunday morning Jazz Funk for those that like to get their shuffle on, its Jazz Funk Vol 12.

We kick off with a jazz dance fave from Rimona Francis, there's some Hammond goodness from cover man Jack McDuff, 60's psychedelic band the Blue Magoos get all Latin funk for us, The Crusaders are on point as always, there's a track from the LP by Tarika Blue- a James Mason project, and we finish with a cover of a Brazil Jazz anthem from Simone plus more good stuff to check out.